This invention relates generally to modular display systems and workstations and, more particularly, to modular display systems and workstations featuring a gravity feed dispenser.
Gravity feed dispensers are known in the art. Such dispensers may be used to store and dispense a wide variety of items, such as empty containers, bottles or vials, and find use in a wide variety of environments. In general, such dispensers comprise one or more side-by-side elongate, generally vertical chutes, each having an opening at its top end for loading and a dispensing receptacle that opens at the bottom end of the chute. Items to be stored in the dispenser are loaded into the chute through the top opening and are thereby stacked within the chute, with the bottommost item or items being available for removal from the dispensing receptacle on a first-in-first-out basis. When an item is removed from the dispenser via the dispensing receptacle, the items stored above the removed item will move downward under the force of gravity and refill the dispensing receptacle. In this manner, so long as there is a supply of items within the dispenser, the dispensing receptacle is automatically refilled whenever an item is removed. Examples of prior art gravity feed dispensers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,692,053 (Calhoun et al.), 3,194,433 (Heselov), 4,479,583 (Franklin et al.), and 5,361,937 (Weise).
Gravity feed dispensers are utilized in a variety of different ways. For example, retailers often use gravity feed dispensers to display merchandise, such as cigarette packages, batteries, candy, or clothespins. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,194,433 and 5,361,937.) Gravity feed dispensers are also used to store items in a manner that provides convenient access to such items. For example, pharmacists are constantly filling vials with pills and the like when filling prescriptions. Therefore, pharmacists require a steady supply of empty prescription vials of different sizes. To meet this need, pharmacies often store a variety of empty vials (and the caps therefor) in drawers, on shelves and in gravity feed dispensers, giving pharmacists ready access to a supply of vials and caps.
In the prior art, gravity feed dispensers were generally fixed directly to a wall or the front face of a display rack. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,479,583 and 5,361,937 show gravity feed dispensers which are mounted to a wall for purposes of displaying a variety of items for sale. While such dispensers may present an attractive and easy-to-use sales display, mounting a dispenser in this fashion takes up a considerable amount of valuable space and makes it difficult to mount fixtures such as shelves, racks, hanger rods, storage bins, drawers, hooks and the like in front of the dispenser. Because access to the gravity feed dispenser is typically only required at the top loading opening and bottom dispensing receptacle (so that items can be loaded and removed from the dispenser), the space taken up by the height of the dispenser between the bottom and top can be considered dead or wasted space in the prior art applications. Thus, in situations where space is at a premium, there is a need for a system for mounting a gravity feed dispenser that allows a variety of fixtures to be mounted in front of the dispenser, yet still allows easy access to the dispenser""s top loading opening and bottom dispensing receptacle.
In general, the present invention solves the foregoing shortcomings of conventionally mounted gravity feed dispensers by providing a system for mounting a gravity feed dispenser that allows one or more fixtures to be mounted in front of, and in working relationship with, the dispenser. The invention can therefore be used to create a display or storage device that maximizes space utilization by mounting shelving, hangers, rods, or other storage and display fixtures in front of the dispenser.
Likewise, the invention can also be used to create a workstation featuring one or more gravity feed dispensers by mounting a work area and shelves in front of and in working relationship with the dispensers. Such a workstation is particularly suitable for use in a pharmacy where empty vials (and lids) used for filling prescriptions can be stored in dispensers integrated directly into the pharmacist""s workstation, thereby eliminating the need for the pharmacist to leave the workstation to retrieve the necessary empty vials and lids. Such a workstation provides a pharmacist with additional storage and work surfaces in spaces that would otherwise be wasted.